subject: WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE A WATER MAIN BREAK [print this page] WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE A WATER MAIN BREAK
What do you do if you think you may have a water main break? First off, call a licensed plumber to verify the problem. There are things you or a professional can do to verify if the problem is the water line, and possibly relieve the situation.
In NYC there is a 311 system, call 311 and ask for a DEP field representative to come out to your property. A specially trained person will arrive shortly to determine if your service line is leaking or not. In NYC if your service is determined as being defective a Department of Environmental Protection representative will issue a "Three Day Notice". This sounds ominous, but it is more or less a free insurance policy. The DEP has just taken responsibility for determining the source of the leak. On the few occasions where a notice is issued in error, there is a process for putting in a claim and seeking reimbursement for all costs in determining the source of the leak i.e. hiring a plumber to perform repairs requested by the DEP notice. My guess is that their determinations are correct over 95% of the time.
You may ask how you can test the water line, or source of the water leak yourself. Well, it is much simpler than you might think. Turning off the main control valve that is located on the house side of the water service is the first step to take. If the water service is not leaking, there will be no sound on the line. Running water always makes a sound; therefore if there is no leak on the water serviced there will be no sound. How to listen for a sound? Place your ear, or a metal rod or equivalent on the water service and the other end on your ear. Listen carefully. If you hear a sound, you should take a second step as a running toilet or other defective plumbing fixture could be causing a sound on the line. You would then have to drain down the inside plumbing of the house by opening an upstairs and downstairs sink to drain down the house (you will have to open two fixtures to allow for air to displace the water leaving your plumbing system, it allows the water to drain out faster). If you still hear a sound- uh, oh, you have a water service line leak. If the leak slows or stops in all likelyhood the leak is on the house side of the main control valve, therefore your water main is not broken. Inside plumbing problems typicall cost a fraction of having to perform a water main replacement. There are other intricacies to this, but that is the basics of it.
If the water leak is coming into a sewer pit, you can open the sewer trap to give the water a place to drain out but be careful. Never open the "street side" trap plug. Always open the "house side" trap plug. By doing this you will prevent any sewer gas from escaping into your house, and prevent any dirt or debris from the leak from going down your sewer line. Another thing that can be simply done if there is a low point where the water is collecting such as a pit, is to place a sump pump with a float switch at the low point. A pump with a float switch costs a little over $100.00, and can always come in handy at a later date. You need the float switch so the pump turns on and off by itself so you can leave it unattended.
Another important and simple tip if your water service is interrupted is to connect to a neighbor's house. Sounds complicated and intrusive, but it is not. The first step is to turn off your main control valve so water does leak back out of the house through the leak. Secondly you will need a garden hose coupling or a washing machine hose, and a garden hose. Screw one end of the garden hose on to your garden hose cock connection, the other end of the garden hose onto a hose coupling or a washing machine hose, then screw the last end of the coupling or washing machine hose onto your neighbors hose cock connection. Open the two hose cock connections slowly with one of your sinks open and let all the air out of the pipe. When water is flowing smoothly out of the sink, shut it off. You now have water throughout the house, hot water heater and boiler too. This only takes a few minutes and, if anything, is much simpler than it sounds. In below freezing weather you will have to leave a house sink running slightly so the hose does not freeze up, running water generally will not freeze (like rivers in Winter time). This little tip saves homeowners a lot of aggravation and downtime without water service.
Many reputable water main companies in NYC will provide all of the above services free of charge, excluding providing a pump. Most firms charge for installing and providing a pump. I hope this article helps; I am always available on-line for questions and comments.
